NEON Global Research Network
The NEON research network consists of a Director of Research and several Regional Coordinators based in regions around the world who have established contacts at universities in their region that can provide researchers who understand the local enviroment. Our network in the USA provides US based researchers and coordination of all advanced research projects.
Zubaida Bai - Director of research
Zubaida Bai has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Business from Colorado State University. She is an entrepreneur that has started ventures and has also been the director of the New Economy Venture Accelerator.
Raul Castro - Regional Coordinator, Latin America
Raul has a degree in Marketing and international business from the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan. During the past years he has been involved in different sustainable projects, including an important partnership with the Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise Program, Social MBA from Colorado State University. During this time, Raul did research for different teams such as the green housing project "Su Casa". Also, Raul was the leader in the marketing research "Casa Segura" an ambitious project from the Regional Research Center, Biomedical Unit, Hideyo Noguchi, which was focused on preventing dangerous diseases such as dengue in underdeveloped regions. Recently, he particiipated as consultant for El Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, one of the most important hospitals in Mexico, applying intrapreneurship techniques to innovate from within the institution.
Vincent Okoth - Regional Coordinator, North, East and Southern Africa
Vincent is based in Kampala, Uganda and coordinates NEON research in north, east and southern Africa. A recent M.B.A. (Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise) graduate from Colorado State University, Vincent is a co-founder and market consultant for Vivodec, a Fort Collins start up. His background is in agriculture economics and impact investing, particularly value chain creation for smallholder farmers in rural Uganda. As a Business Advisor with Technoserve Inc, Uganda on the Bill and Melinda Gates funded East Africa Dairy Development program, Vincent helped rural dairy cooperatives prepare feasibility and business plans for chilling plant businesses and marketing. He also worked with USAID/Chemonics International Inc. helping tranform small scale coffee producers into agribusiness entities. At Makerere University, Vincent participated in several studies including a Rockefeller project which formed the core of his research thesis "Effect of Malaria Morbidity on Household Productivity and Primary School truancy".
Mitesh Gala - Regional Coordinator, India
Mitesh is a co-founder of SEED, Small Engines for Economic Development. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Mexico and a M.S. in Business Administration from Colorado State University. His previous experience is as Jr. R&D engineer at Sabeus Photonics, Technical intern at Hughes Research Labs, and Technical Intern at Harmonic, Inc.